Woodford Road

The inclusion of this building, Becker's Barn, illustrates the once thriving agricultural economy on the Island. George Becker, who operated this farm from c. 1905 until 1940, built up a large dairy business, specializing in Jersey cattle. Ire and other farmers supplied foodstuffs to the Islanders and sent some of their produce to markets elsewhere. The last of the farms, operated by the Marchky brothers, was closed down c. 1960.

As long as the farms existed, they provided, inadvertently, for a flourishing wildlife on the Island, particularly pheasants. Literally thousands of these colorful birds nested here. However, once the farms disappeared, their food supply was seriously diminished which greatly curtailed their numbers. Hunters successfully eliminated the remaining flocks so that, today, seeing a pheasant on Kelleys is a rarity.

However, other wildlife abounds: foxes, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, and, particularly, deer exist in ever greater numbers. By the same token, if commercial fishing is no longer profitable, sport fishing is on the rise, a major attraction of tourists to Kelleys.

   
From Kelleys Island, A Tour Guide